Wednesday, 3 July 2013

Do you need help understanding how to meet the Building Information Modelling (BIM) requirements?

In response to a government initiative requiring that all central government building procurement contracts use BIM from 2016, Pin Board is pleased to make you aware of a great and simple-to-understand guide published by the Construction Products Association and the NBS. This new guide is designed for manufacturers and is perfectly named ‘BIM for the Terrified'. It is aimed at those who do not have a detailed understanding of BIM, but would like to gain sufficient understanding to assess its possible impact on their construction product manufacturing or distribution business.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a process for managing the information produced during a construction project, in a common format, from the earliest feasibility stage through design, construction, operation and finally demolition, in order to make the best and most efficient use of that information. BIM has three key elements:

The consistent, conventional labelling or naming of documents and data

A method for storing and manipulating information

A method for exchanging or issuing information about the building, including its construction, operation, performance and maintenance

The use of BIM can increase efficiency and reduce errors. Virtual designs are built in three dimensions before work proceeds on site; the attributes of all the elements of the building can be found in the model; and spatial ‘clashes’ can be identified and resolved in the model instead of on site.

The guide explains the basic vocabulary of BIM so that readers will be better able to understand the wider debates about it. It looks at how BIM has evolved from the earliest drawing and specification systems, how the various types of BIM differ and what benefits they offer. The reasons for the government’s drive to adopt BIM are explained and the requirements that will fall on to the supply chain are set out. Case studies are included, showing how manufacturers are taking up the challenge of BIM. Finally there are references to sources of more detailed information.

To be prepared for BIM, manufacturers and distributors will need to invest time and resources. It is hoped they will be better informed and more confident after reading this guide and will be able to ask the right questions as they make investment decisions.

With the 2016 deadline fast approaching, the Cabinet Office has set up the BIM Task Group to work with industry to bring the construction industry up to speed. The Construction Products Association is working with the BIM Task Group and others on a range of initiatives to support this work.

John Tebbit, Industry Affairs Director and Deputy Chief Executive of the Construction Products Association, said: ‘In order for any of the BIM agenda to work and benefits to be delivered, manufacturers and suppliers will need to put significant resources into the data and models underpinning BIM.

‘Some have been doing this for years but for others the market case has not yet been made. The publication is a small part of making that case. Others will need to play their part too, primarily through demonstrating demand and sticking to open, non-proprietary standards for both data structures and data itself.’

Dr Stephen Hamil, Head of BIM at NBS commented: ‘Use of BIM is growing significantly within the design communities with adoption predicted to rise to 91% within the next 3 years. In order to really achieve the benefits for the whole industry which BIM offers, our manufacturing sector must make the BIM journey too. We hope that this guide will help manufacturers better understand what this journey is and why it's in their interest to become BIM enabled.’